I came to the profession as many of you did, if you started your interpreting career ten or more years ago. I had a 15-minute phone interview with an agency owner, and I was hired on the spot and given very few instructions. I started interpreting...
In most states, a bilingual individual who wishes to be on the court’s roster of qualified interpreters must meet certain requirements. These are not whimsical or random requirements. The first one is usually an orientation seminar about the court system in the state where the...
During the first NAJIT event I ever attended, the 35th Annual Conference in Las Vegas in the spring of 2014, my friend Gerda Prato introduced me to Tony Rosado. I was so excited that I still have the picture. I already knew who Tony was from reading...
The Couch is a place to exchange ideas and brainstorm, not only for its contributors but also for our readers who engage in the ensuing discussions. Sometimes, you may not agree with what an interpreting department in another state says is the right way. Thank you to...
I love birthdays, anniversaries, and—of course—new years, new decades, and new millennia. Each one gives me a chance to let go of whatever has been happening in my life that was just not going well at all and start again. It gives me a chance...
By Athena Matilsky © 2017 Last year I left my job as a Superior Court staff interpreter, and moved from New Jersey to the beautiful city of Montreal. I’m here temporarily, working on a book and improving my French. The idea is that with increased language...
This is a guest post by the blog Translating Lawyers. The subject matter is very relevant to our work as judiciary translators and interpreters. Everybody in the U.S. has at least a vague notion of what a Notary Public is. Black’s Law defines a Notary Public...
University degrees, certificates and certifications reflect your desire to grow professionally and your professional skills. But are you ready to handle the world? Really? That’s what conferences and professional associations are for: through their collective knowledge, they pave the way, open new trails, expose us to...
The song "My Woman, My Woman, My Wife" became a hit in 1970 when Marty Robbins wrote and recorded it. It quickly rose to the top of the country charts in the US at a time of great social and economic upheaval. The 1960s and its...
Maybe it is time to make friends with Spanglish. …And Italish, Portinglish, Haitian Creolish and any other language +English! It happened this way: Judge (English): “…mortgage…” Me (Spanish): “…hipoteca…” Litigant (No language): [Blank stare; look of incomprehension and confusion.] The question was repeated. All at once, understanding dawned and the litigant...